Orvieto? NOT!

Well, we are NOT in Orvieto! Pat's sister and her husband are returning from their tour and we realized that so short a time in Orvieto would not be practical.....so, we go another time! meh!
     So our consolation prize was a trip( with our friend Rob) to Saint Paul Outside the Walls. This did NOT disappoint!! It is an amazing basilica - huge and beautiful. This is where St. Paul is buried - will post pic of the tomb and his chains - there is also (out back) a portion of a 4th c. cemetery - another amazing site!
      At 6PM, the Benedictine monks who care for the basilica chanted Vespers. Any of my NPM friends who went through an all day set of sight-reading showcases will appreciate this!
The Vespers were chanted in both Italian and Latin and the chant was laid out in Neumes!!! So I was simultaneously trying to sight-read neumes (and the antiphons were quite complex!) and figure out the pronunciation of either the Latin or the Italian! The only praying I did was that I did not make a glaring mistake too loudly!!!  Lol!
    As a reward for  all that, we went to dinner (after a lengthy rest and conversation sitting on a wall facing the coloseum!) We had an antipasto of fresh mozzarella and roasted vegetables (which I was unable to photo graph as it disappeared SO fast!. Then I had gnocci, laced with mozzarella - there is a photo of that! (especially for Sandi, the gnocci queen)
This first photo is the Jubilee door at st. Pauls that JPII opened in the year 2000

 This is a gorgeous angel at the top of the main door of St. Pauls

This is a panel from the most recent door installed at St. Paul's depicting Paul's martyrdom

Paul's tomb - his chain is in a case above the tomb but my flash reflected too much light

 Colloseo at night

 My marvelous gnocci.....mmmmmm.....

      This morning, we are awaiting the arrival of Pat's sister and husband and we will attend "Waterfire in Rome" tonight - should be interesting!!!